Several wheeled vehicles and particularly light wheeled vehicles (e.g. ATVs, UTVs, SSVs, etc.) often have their wheels replaced by track systems which use an endless traction band instead of a tire for propulsion. Vehicles equipped with such track systems typically have improved floatation and better traction, particularly when they are operated over soft and/or rough terrains.
The improved floatation and traction are generally due to the larger ground-contacting area of the traction band. This larger ground-contacting area, commonly referred to as contact patch, effectively spreads the weight of the vehicle over a larger area (i.e. increased floatation) and provides additional ground-engaging surface to the vehicle (i.e. increased traction).
However, track systems are not without their shortcomings. Though the larger contact patch of the traction band is generally a significant advantage when the vehicle is operated over soft terrains (e.g. snow, mud, sand, etc.), the larger contact patch can become a hindrance when the vehicle is operated over harder surfaces (e.g. packed dirt, concrete, asphalt, pavement, etc.). Indeed, the larger contact patch generally implies more friction between the traction band and the ground, making the vehicle more difficult to steer and manoeuvre and ultimately negatively affecting its steering when operated over hard surfaces.
There have been attempts in the past to improve the handling of vehicles equipped with track systems when operated over harder surfaces. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,058, the track system comprises a traction band which outer ground-engaging lugs are particularly configured to define a smaller contact patch when operated on hard surfaces and a larger contact patch when operated on soft surfaces.
However, despite some attempts to improve the steering of vehicles equipped with track systems when these vehicles are operated over harder surfaces, there is still a need for an improved track system which will at least mitigate some shortcomings of prior art track systems.